A master plan
by Sapphire1112
Summary: Sam Strachan is cunning to say the least. I do not own the characters.
1. Journey to

Things had been tense at work. Ethan and Alicia. Lily and Iain. _Connie and Sam._

The latter had made a suggestion - a team-building weekend. Of course, _some_ of the ED had to work, so it had to be done in two shifts. Ethan, Alicia, Lily, Iain, Connie, Sam and Noel piled on the mini bus, with Charlie and Duffy coming along to 'supervise'. They were seen as the 'mum and dad' of the ED and had been invited on both weekends. No one thought it was fair to split up the recently married couple.

Connie had _tried_ to get out of going on the same weekend as Sam, citing, that it was unfair to Grace. Grace however, had already asked to go to her residential respite place in Devon that weekend. It was something she looked forward to, as it gave her a bit of independence. Connie didn't have the heart to say 'no', so she had no choice but to go on the weekend she was told too.

When she got on the minibus, there was only one seat left, at the very back of the bus. The seat between Sam and Noel. Connie was left in _no doubt_ when she got to it, that Sam had _planned_ things that way. He was grinning smugly at her as she sat down with a resigned sigh and folded her legs towards him. It suddenly didn't seem at all strange to the rest of the party that Connie and Sam were sitting next to each other - they did have a daughter together after all. But Connie felt a little too close to him for her liking. Noel wasn't actually sitting next to her, there was a sort of _contraption_ between them - not exactly a table. She didn't mind that - Connie wasn't terribly _fond_ of Noel, but it made her feel like she was sat even closer to Sam and she wasn't a 100% sure that was a _good_ idea.

Sam, however, was _delighted_ to have her so close and was absolutely _determined_ to change her mind. As the bus began its journey, Sam noticed that Connie's hands were in her lap. He carefully took her right hand in his. Connie gave him one of the frosty looks that she was famous for, but she knew that saying anything would draw attention to them. As it was, their clasped hands were hidden behind her folded legs and no one else could see so she let him hold her hand.

His hand was warm and comforting around her cold one and she quite liked it, she decided. She _really_ liked it. Sam knew and smiled at her. Connie strangely found herself smiling back – he had that effect on her She looked away again. Noel appeared to be picking his fingernails. _Lovely!_

Connie sighed and leaned her head back against the seat and her shoulder brushed Sam's. He squeezed her hand, so she turned her head slightly to glance at him. He smiled again. This was odd. _Odd_ but nice.

They were interrupted by a sudden movement from Noel and they looked over. He appeared to be scratching his bottom - and they had to spend the weekend with him. _Brilliant!_

Noel saw Connie and Sam looking at him, distastefully. "Sorry, Mrs Beauchamp."

"What are you _doing?!_ " Connie retorted – in a way that only _she_ could.

"Me bum's gone to sleep" He complained. "All down the left buttock!"

Connie stared at him, disgusted. " _Fascinating!_ " She eventually replied, icily. Sam sniggered and Connie automatically dug her nails into his hand, causing him to gasp. She felt him tense up and brushed her thumb over his hand by way of apology.

"Sorry, Mrs Beauchamp." Noel said again."

"You may as _well_ call me 'Connie', while we are here Noel. Everybody else does, anyway."

"Sorry, Connie." He repeated and turned away to stare out of the window.

" _That really hurt!_ " Sam hissed in Connie's ear and she shivered at his closeness.

"I know, I'm sorry." She whispered back.

" _How_ sorry?"

Connie sighed and glanced around the bus. Nobody was looking. She leaned up to him and gently kissed his cheek. "Better?"

"Mm-hm."

The journey to their destination was long and boring, and presently, everyone else fell asleep. Noel was snoring loudly. Connie bit her lip and sighed. It was just _too tempting_.

She leaned against Sam. They parted hands and he put his arm around her instead – slightly surprised that she was _allowing_ it to go this far in public. He kissed the top of her head. This was _nice_. Just _one_ , he thought – while everyone else was asleep. Sam tilted Connie's head and she looked at him. He bent down and kissed her lips. She sighed again, smiled and snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

"I know you've got your _own room_." He whispered. "But I booked a double room _just in case_ you feel like joining me!"

" _Arrogant!_ " She whispered cuttingly, but with an added fondness.

Sam smirked.


	2. What happened at dinner

It was early evening when they reached the hotel. They all booked in and took their cases up to their rooms. In the lift, Sam took Connie's case off her with his free hand. " _Bloody hell!_ " he remarked as his arm sagged under it's unexpected weight. " _What_ have you got in here?!"

"Books." Connie answered airily. The lift went silent and everyone turned around to stare at her. " _What?!_ " She retorted – turning the atmosphere in the lift frosty with a _single_ word and the ice in her eyes.

"Nothing, Mrs Beauchamp!" They all muttered.

Sam smirked as they turned back around hastily. Only _Connie Beauchamp_ could have such an effect on everybody's mood all at once. "What room you in?" He asked her.

"116"

" _Yes!_ " Sam exclaimed, immediately warming the atmosphere up again. The rest of the party turned around again – staring at him this time. Connie eyed him crossly for bringing the unwanted attention back. "What _now_?"

"That's the room next to _mine_." He explained smugly as the lift doors opened and everyone departed.

"Don't be smug, Sam!" She commented. "It _doesn't_ suit you!" She swooped off past him, down the corridor.

Sam followed with the cases, by-passing his room to go to Connie's room first. She unlocked the door and he put the case inside the room for her. "There you go."

"Thanks." She responded as he leaned down cheekily and kissed her cheek.

He turned and walked back to his room with his own case. "See you at dinner, _darling!_ " He called back – seeing that the corridor was now empty.

She gave him a slightly amused glare, before going into her room and closing the door.

They had been told that the evening meal at the hotel required _formal_ wear. Sam was already in the dining room when Connie went down and she had to admit that he _did_ scrub up well – especially now the 'boyish' look he'd had 10 years previously had all but gone. He met her at the door and held out his arm chivalrously.

"May I escort you to the table, m'lady?"

Connie sighed and took his arm.

"God, you look _ravishing_!" He added in a whisper.

She looked up and saw that he seemed genuinely breath-taken. "You look pretty good yourself!" she commented lightly, patting his arm.

He pulled the chair next to his out so she could sit down. "Wine, _dearest?_ " He remarked impertinently.

" _Orange juice_ , thanks." She responded – deliberately ignoring his presumptuous term of endearment. She wanted to keep a clear head. It was the only way she was going to survive this _ridiculous_ weekend trip with her colleagues. That's all they were – _colleagues_.

"Aww you two make such a _cute_ couple!" Alicia cooed, much to Sam's delight.

He sniggered as Connie removed the arm that had draped itself around her shoulders and remarked loudly, "We are _not_ a couple!"

During the meal, Sam managed to eat with one hand, his other hand making it's way onto Connie's knee under the table. Connie ignored it and carried on eating her dinner as if nothing was happening.

"Well, that was very nice." Charlie commented as he finished. "What's for dessert?"

"I believe it's profiteroles, Charlie." Connie informed him – finding Sam's hand more and more _distracting_ as it worked it's way up her thigh. Thankfully, Iain announced that he was going over to the bar to get the another round of drinks while they waited for the next course – and he required both Ethan and Sam to help him to help him carry them back.

By the time they came back, Connie had managed to regain control of the composure she had been about to lose and Sam decided to try a different tactic – seeing as his first one hadn't _appeared_ to have any effect.

As Connie put her hands under the table and smoothed down the napkin on her lap, Sam grasped the hand nearest to him. She glanced up in surprise – no doubt intending to give him one of her 'looks', but he appeared to be deep in conversation with Iain – who was sat on the other side of him. She moved her other hand back onto the table, but her right hand remained out-of-sight clasped in his. Once again, there was nothing she could do without drawing more unwanted attention from everyone else.

As dessert arrived, Sam unclasped her hand, instead placing it on his own thigh – _far too high up his thigh for her liking._ He placed his own hand on top of it – so she wouldn't be able to remove hers at the first opportunity. As a result, Connie was forced to eat with only her left hand – something Sam enjoyed watching _immensely_.

" _You're managing those balls well, Con!_ " He commented, making sure everyone could hear him. Noel choked on his mouthful, which Connie ignored – along with the scattered sniggers around the rest of the table.

"I'd shut up if I were you, Sam." She retorted dryly, "I'm fairly good at _breaking_ them as well!"

" _Nice one_ , Mrs B!" Alicia giggled and Connie smirked at Sam – realising that she'd rendered him speechless for once.

After dinner, there was dancing to be had and only Connie, Sam, Charlie and Duffy remained at the table.

"Would you like to dance, dearest?" Sam asked Connie – putting on as much boyish charm as he could muster.

She looked at him – obviously _pretending_ to consider the matter before she answered. "No, I don't think so." She remarked, before turning her back on him to _watch_ the dancing instead. Sam sighed.

"Shall _we_ dance?" Duffy suggested to her husband.

"Yes dear." Charlie agreed, getting up.

" _Why won't you dance with me, Con?"_ Sam whined once they were alone at the table.

She turned to look at him. "I don't like this song." She exclaimed – knowing full well that he had been expecting a sharp answer along the lines of ' _Because I don't want to_ ' or _'Don't question me'._

He sighed again, leaning back in his chair, and letting his hand comb through her lose hair before it dropped into his lap. "You _will_ dance with me at _some point_ this weekend, Con – I _guarantee_ it."

"Maybe." She retorted, "But not right now...so...I _suggest_ you sit there quietly – before I get up and dance with one of the strange, lonely men dotted around the room instead." She turned back around, away from him again. "... _or_ _with_ _Noel_." She added, gesturing at their colleague who was on his lonesome, on the dance floor – flailing his limbs about in the most _embarrassing_ way.

"Yes Connie." Sam muttered – much subdued by the thought of her dancing with another man – _especially_ Noel.

She smiled to herself as silence followed. Her threats had had the desired effect.

A bit later Sam had to pay a visit and when he returned, he found Charlie and Duffy sat back at the table after their dance – but no sign of Connie. He glanced at the dance floor, afraid that she might have followed through with her threat, but she wasn't there either. He looked questionably at Charlie.

"I think she's out on the veranda, Sam."

"Yes." Duffy agreed. "Fresh air - she said it was a bit stuffy in here."

Connie was leaning over the balcony, when Sam found her – with her drink. She had opted for lime and soda this time – deciding that it was _slightly_ more interesting than orange juice. She was looking out at the darkened gardens. The raised patio was deserted apart from the two of them.

"Hi" Sam greeted her.

"Hi" She responded as he moved next to her.

He hesitated. "I didn't mean to _annoy_ you before, Con – I just wanted to _dance_ with you, that's all."

"Dance with me _now,_ then." She said softly. "Out here – away from everyone watching – I _like_ this song."

He put their drinks on the balcony wall and wrapped his arms around her – a move she imitated as they swayed to the sound of Dido drifting through the open doors...


	3. After the dance

As the song faded out, Connie smiled and reached for her drink, however, on account of being taller with longer arms, Sam leaned over her and picked it up first. He handed it to her.

"Thanks. Well, I'm off to bed then." She commented, downing the remaining lime and soda in two mouthfuls. "... _in my own room._ " She added, noticing his hopeful look.

He sighed. There was no point in arguing – that would only serve to make her even _more_ stubborn., but he managed to sneak a kiss onto her cheek _before_ she left him stood there.

Ten minutes after she had left, Sam made a split second decision and followed her. If she wasn't going to come to him – he would go to her instead. Of course, there was only one lift for public use – the other being a 'service' lift for staff. Connie had taken the public one, but the service lift was available, so Sam took that one instead. Luckily he didn't get caught – however, to his surprise, when the lift doors opened, he found himself in the laundry room. He then had to spend even longer trying to navigate the corridors, to find theirs, then the time he _would_ have spent waiting for the other lift. By the time he knocked on Connie's door, she was ready for bed.

Connie opened the door and sighed – though it was clear from her face that she had been _expecting_ him to turn up. "Sam, I'm tired – I need _sleep_!"

" _Fine by me!_ " He exclaimed, barging straight past her into the room.

" _Fine_. - hurry up, though. The light's going off in 5 minutes – _whether you're ready or not!_ " She lifted up the duvet and turned back to him as he started taking his shoes off – her interest captured by his _late_ arrival. " _Where exactly have you been, anyway?!_ "

"Er...I... _got lost._ " He muttered, hoping she wouldn't hear him – but knowing there was little chance of that. They both took a sort of _childish delight_ from the other's stupid mistakes.

" _'You got lost'_ " She repeated in amusement. "In the _hotel_ , Sam?!... _How_ exactly?"

"You took the lift, so...I took the _other_ one." he retorted.

"You took the _service_ lift?!" She chuckled delightedly, " _Where_ did you end up?"

"The laundry room." He muttered again – though much more quietly this time.

"The _what?_ "

He sighed. He was _not_ going to get away with this. " _The...laundry...room_ , Connie."

Connie sniggered. "Oh you are such an _idiot_ , Sam! - you're lucky you didn't get caught!... _Hurry up and get changed!_ " She climbed into the bed, before adding. " _5 minutes, Sam!_ \- you're on the inside." She lay down, her head facing away from him and pulled the duvet over herself.

"Why?" he questioned.

"Because _I_ want to sleep on the outside!" She retorted irritably. She propped herself up on her elbows and turned her head to look at him – getting a rather pleasant eyeful of him removing his shirt as she did so. "You know what – I chose to sleep in my _own room_ and you're the one who's _'gate-crashing'_ – _so don't argue with me!_ " She lay back down, once again with her head turned away.

Sam finished getting undressed and threw his clothes on the sofa. He had better pacify her – _just in case_ she decided to throw him out in the corridor in his underwear. He turned off the bed lamp and walked around to the foot of the bed. _He_ had booked a double room, Connie on the other hand, had book a single, so this was going to be _tight_ – not that he was complaining. Crawling up the gap between Connie's drowsy form and the wall, he slipped under the duvet and whispered, "Sorry, darling."

"Mm-hm" she murmured, her eyes closed.

He squinted in the dim light. "Aw you _are_ tired, aren't you, darling." He remarked softly, lying down next to her.

She opened her eyes again and was met with his face, much closer than it had been all day. "Yes, but seeing as _you're_ obviously up for talking – you can tell me what we're all doing this weekend."

Sam shuffled slightly and draped his arm over her. "Well -see _the thing is_..." He rubbed one of his feet up and down her leg as another delaying tactic and for a few seconds, it seemed to have the _desired_ effect. She sighed as he muttered, "You still like it when I do that then!"

"Yes." She answered and turning over towards him and wrapping her arms around his bare torso. "But, come on – _out with it!_ "

It was his turn to sigh – though it was a resigned sigh, not a happy one. "Um...I organised the _minibus_ and the _hotel_...but well, _someone else_ organised the activities – apart from tomorrow night..."

"What are we doing tomorrow night?" She immediately asked.

"It's a _surprise!_ " He pointed out.

"Sam – I _hate_ surprises!"

"I know, darling -but you'll _like_ this one!" He exclaimed with all the confidence of an inexperienced youth.

"I _highly_ doubt that!" she snorted in response.

Sam braced himself for the next question – he knew it was coming. Sam had, _at the time_ , only been concerned with finding ways to get close to Connie – his _sole_ reason for suggesting a 'team-building' weekend in the first place, - and he hadn't really been _bothered_ about what else they were doing as long as he was near her, but here he was - lying next to her – and he _knew_ that she _wasn't_ going to be impressed with his answer.

Connie pursed her lips. "This 'mystery organiser'... _who is it?_ "

He cleared his throat and winced as he gave his answer. " _Noel_."


End file.
